Embracing the Artistic Heritage - Rasmus Refer and His Creative Roots

Rasmus Refer's decision to embrace art as a vocation launched him into an exploration of diverse mediums such as painting, relief, and sculpture, culminating in works that serve as poignant reflections of contemporary reality. Far from merely provocative, Rasmus's creations offer nuanced and introspective commentary, inviting viewers into a dialogue about the complexities of modern life. Through his art, Rasmus Refer navigates the transition from the corporate world to the realm of creative expression, where he now finds fulfillment in articulating his insights through a rich tapestry of artistic mediums and forms.

Rasmus Refer's art revolves around crafting enduring experiences from materials often perceived as rigid and lifeless. Such as steel, acrylic, and aluminum. With these materials he conjures artworks that continually captivate. By creating delicate cracks, and grooves, Refer creates pieces that interact dynamically with light. The resulting artworks evolve dramatically, their appearance shifting with the time of day, light intensity, and hues, ensuring a perpetually fresh encounter.

Rasmus Refer in his Valby-based studio, Denmark, 2024

Photo courtesy Suste Bonnén.

"My works should ideally bring new perspectives to everyday life. Working with reflections and the very experience of light is a challenge I greatly appreciate. It creates entirely new dimensions to my artworks and the way they are perceived." Rasmus Refer

 The Artistic Familiy Tree 

Jens Refer (age 26) presents his winning project, for which he received the Academy Award in 1976.

Rasmus Refer was born into an artistic dynasty. His great grandfather was Folmer Bonnén, a painter who established his own art school teaching students like Maggi Baaring, Hans Scherfig og Frederik Bramming. His grandfather was the architect Alf Refer. His grandmother, Tone Bonnén, was an aknowledge costumer, scenographer, and milliner, immortalized in Suzanne Brøgger's epic book "Tone". The artist Peter Bonnén was his uncle, and his father Jens Refer was an abstract artist and minimalist too.

Rasmus Refer, imbued with a rich artistic heritage, has skillfully woven the diverse influences of his ancestors into his own unique creative expression. His great-grandfather, Folmer Bonnén, laid the groundwork with his profound contributions to painting and education, shaping the artistic milieu of his time. The architectural prowess of his grandfather Alf Refer, combined with the versatile artistry of his grandmother Tone Bonnén, provided Rasmus with a multidimensional appreciation for both form and function. The legacy continued with the innovative works of his uncle, Peter Bonnén, and the minimalist abstractions of his father, Jens Refer.

Drawing from this deep well of familial inspiration, Rasmus has carved out a distinct path that both honors and transcends his lineage. His works resonate with the echoes of his predecessors' styles while also embracing contemporary sensibilities, creating art that is both timeless and avant-garde. Rasmus Refer stands as a testament to the enduring power of artistic legacy, skillfully balancing reverence for his ancestry with a forward-looking vision that ensures his place within the continuum of great artists. Through his creations, he not only pays homage to his family's rich artistic tradition but also extends its reach, contributing his own voice to the ever-evolving narrative of art.

 Granite, Bronze and Steel 

Rasmus Refer's minimalistic art exemplifies the essence of simplicity and elegance, skillfully articulated through diverse mediums such as granite, steel, and bronze. Through these varied materials, Rasmus Refer's achieves a harmonious balance of form and material. Each medium provides a unique "canvas" for his exploration of space, light, and texture, yet all are unified by his distinctive minimalist vision. Along Refer's signature works in acrylic and aluminum, his works in granite, steel, and bronze stand as a testament to the versatility and expressive potential of minimalism, celebrating the beauty of simplicity across different dimensions and textures.

Rasmus Refer (b. 1970, DK)

Untitled, 2020, 25 x 25 cm.

Table relief, steel

© 1987-2024